Matches from sheet material



July 2 1929. c, wRlGHT 1.718.994

MACHINE FOR MAKING MATCHES FROM SHEET MATERIAL Filed June 16, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet zh/lniotq Chan 'mamrd y 1929. c. F. wlGHT 1.718.994

MACHINE FORMAKING MATCHES FROM SHEET MATERIAL Filed June 16, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 2, 1929. c. F. wRlsl-h' MACHINEFOR MAKING MATCHES FROM SHEET MATERIAL Filed June 16, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 girl? Jab.

July 2, 1929. c. F. WRIGHT MACHINE FOR MAKING MATCHES FROM SHEET MATERIAL Filed June 16, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. WRIGHT, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DIAMOND MATCH COM- PANY, or on oaeo, rumors,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR MAKING MATCHES FROM SHEET MATERIAL.

Application filed June 16,

This invention relates to machines for making matches, having reference more especially to mechanism for producing strips of match splints from sheet material, such as pasteboard or veneer.

The invention is an improvement on or modification of the mechanism described in my Patent No. 1,684,165, Sept. 11, 1928, winch meehanisn'l, generally stated, embodiesmeans i or intern'iittently feeding sheet match stock toward and into engagement with the chain of strip-holders oi a match making machine; a cutter roll having its axis longitudinally of the path of the stock and including a series of spaced apart peripheral blades parallel to said axis, together with a cutting disk constructed and arranged to present a series of uniformly spaced cutting edges in alternation with the spaces between the blades; means ior effecting co-operative relative movement between the said cutter roll and the stock, transversely of the latter, whereby at regular intervals the blades consecutively incise the stock throughout its width in parallel longitudinal lines, and whereby, at the same time, the alternate subdivisions are separated at their trailing ends from the body of the web; means for spreading or oilsetting the alternate subdivisions, and. means for severing the stock across the trailing ends of the subdivisions adjacent the carrier after the leading end of the stock is engaged with a splint holder. The said mechanism also embodies gear and rack means operative to en sure the proper re istry or tin'iing of the cutter roll at each side of the web, prepares tory to the succeeding cross-travel oi: the roll, all as fully described in the co--pending application aforesaid. i

The object of the present invention is to provide a form of splint cutting mechanism whereby a higher speed operation, and consequently an increased production, can be at tained than with the previous construction; and to that end my invention comprises aplu-. rality of cutting rolls and means for effect ing co-operative relative movement between said rolls and the match stock transversely of the latter, whereby the rolls simultaneously perform their respective functions upon relatively small areas of the match stock throughout its width, thus correspondingly limiting the travel of the rolls transverselyof the web, not only'while they are making 1928. Serial m. 286,047.

the incisions in the web but also While they are returning to starting position.

My invention also comprises means Whereby the plurality of cutting rolls are positively held at all times in exact timed relation to each other and to the match stock.

My invention also comprises novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described, the scope of the invention then being defined in the appended claims.

. In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of a match making machine equipped with splint-cutting mechanism embodying the principle of my invention, the sheet match stock being indicated.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section, as on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a plan, partly in section, of the splint cutting mechanism.

Fig. 4C is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section through the cutter-roll carriage and the underlying web supporting bed, showing the carriage and rolls in raised position preparatory to their descent to position the cutters initially on the Web.

Fig. 6 is a similar view, showing the carriage and rolls as lowered and shifted transversely of the Web.

Fig. 7 is a plan oi a portion of the incised web and overlying cutter rolls, one of the rolls being omitted.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a supporting frame; 11 a power-driven shaft journaled in bearings in the frame, and 12 a portion of an intermittently movable carrier chain having regularly spaced-apart clips 13 adapted and arranged to receive strips of match splints, and convey them in spaced parallel relation through succeeding stations forparafiining, heading and drying.

1 1 designates a pair of parallel feed rolls spaced forward oi? the strip receiving portion of the carrier and adapted-to engage a web of match stock, S, and advance the web intermittently to the carrier.

15 designates a horizontal bed including a supporting plate 16 rearward of the feed rolls. The upper surface of the plate is in horizontal alignment with the bite of the feed rolls,so as to receive and support each succeeding portion. of the web advanced by and dimensions of match splints.

upon adjacent relatively small areas of the portion of the web imposed on the plate and thereby incise such portion throughout its width in longitudinal lines to produce parallel subdivisions corresponding with the Each cutter roll 17 has in an arc of itsperiphery a series of uniformly spaced cutters constituted preferably by the outwardly projecting beveled edges 18 of rectilinear blades 19 which are mounted parallelly to the axis of the roll in radial slots formed in the periphery of the roll. Each of the blades corresponds in length with thatof a match splint and the space between adjacent blades corresponds with the width of a splint.

The series of cutting rolls, with their p eripheral blades similarly located in respect to the axes of the respective rolls, are mounted side by side on parallel shafts 20 which are jou'rnaled in the side walls of a carriage 21. This carriage is slidably mounted for longitudinal movement in a vertically-reciprocable cross-head 22 which overlies the path -of the match stock. In the present instance the cross-head is supported by vertically movable rods 23 which are slidably fitted in guides 24 on thesides of the frame 10, and

- are also equipped at their lower ends with rolls 25 adapted to the grooves of face-cams 26 fast on a shaft 27 above and parallel to the shaft ll; The shaft 27 is journaled in hearings in the main frame and is driven from the shaft 11 through co-acting gears 28,0n' the respective shafts. The contour of the cam grooves is such that the cross-head 22 is lowered and there held during each dwell of the match stock and is then raised and there held until the next succeeding dwell of the'stock.

The carriage 21 is operatively connected at one end by means of a rod 29 with a crank disk 30 fast on a short horizontal shaft 31 having its bearing in a bracket 32 on the main frame. The shaft 31 carries a bevel gear 33 in mesh with a similar gear 34 on the upper end of a vertical shaft 35 which has its bearings in the bracket 32 and also in a lower bracket 36. The foot of the shaft 35 is equipped with a bevel gear 37 inmesh with a similar gear 38 on the shaft 11, and hence ..cli1ring""the rotation of the latter shaftthe crank disk 30 is actuated in a manner to effect the horizontal reciprocation of the carriage 21. The crank conne'ctionand the cams are in Fig. 2) preparatory to the descent of the cross-head; the left hand end cutter of each series being directly below the axis of the roll, as seen in Fig. 5. The carriage is then lowered and consequently the lowermost blade of the left hand roll engages the opposing edge of the match stock, and the lowermost blades of the remaining rolls penetrate the stock in spaced relation to each other. The carriage is then moved a short distance to the right and consequently the peripheral blades of each roll consecutively engage the web and slit it longitudinally, as seen in Fig. 6. Since the four rolls are moved simultaneously their respective series of blades act upon four relatively small areas comprised between the edges of the match stock. thus simultaneously incising such areas to produce parallel longitudinal subdivisions throughout the width of the stock, as seen in Fig. 7.

At the limit of the stroke of the carriage to the right the cross-head is raised, thereby bodily'lifting the carriage and the cutting rolls and freeing the blades from the match stock, thus permitting a succeeding advamrement of the stock by the feed rolls. During this interval the carriage and the cutting rolls are shifted to the left, as seen in Fig. 5, preparatory to the depression of the carriage and rolls for a succeeding splint cutting operation 011 the opposing portion of the stock.

Each of the cutting rolls is provided at one end with a segmental gear 39 which meshes with an overlying horizontal rack 40 that is slidably mounted on the cross-head 22. One end of the rack is connected by means of a link 41 with the upper arm 42 of a lever which is fulcrumed on a suitablydisposed bracket 43 on the main frame. The lower arm 44 of the lever is equipped with a roll 45 which runs in the peripheral groove of a cam 46 on the driven shaft 27, the contour of the groove being such that periodic movements of the rack bar are effected to actuate the gears 39 and their associated cutting rolls in timed relation to the carriage and the sheet match stock, whether the cutting blades are in contact with or are above the stock; that is to say, during the stroke of the cutting rolls to the right the rack travels therewith and ensures the correct engagement of the respective segmental groups of cutter blades with the web, and during the return stroke of the cutting rolls to the left. after the raising of the cross-head, the rack moves to the left and, partially turning the rolls on their axes, ensures the correct initial position of the respective groups of cutter blades preparatory to their succeeding engagement with the respective areas of the match stock.

In the present instance the incised portions of the web progress to and across the usual die members located adjacent the carrier 12, which members include vertically reciprocative inclined bars 51 which in each pause of the web co-act with complementary fixed bars 52 in a manner to bear upon alternate subdivisions of the web and thereby not only sever such subdivisions at their trailing ends but also spread or oft'set them from the normal plane of the web preparatory to the delivery of the leading or uncut end of the web to the carrier.

As described in my co-pending application aforesaid the bars 51 depend from a head 53 which is carried by a vertically reciprocative plunger 5%. This plunger has a suitably-disposed pendent knife 55 which, in the descent of the plunger, severs the web across the uncut trailing ends of the longitudinally-incised portions after the leading end of the web has been inserted in the o iiposing strip holder of the arrier, thus producing a strip of match splints which is held by and advanced with the carrier, the next succeeding strip holder of the carrier being then presented. to the immediately following portion of the web which has been acted upon by the cutting and spreading instrumentalities; and so on.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular construction herein disclosed, as the mechanism may be modified within the principle of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

l claim- 1. lhe combination with means for feeding sheet match stock, of a plurality of cutter rolls having their axes longitudinally of the path of travel of the stock, each oi said rolls including a series of spaced-apart peripheral cutters parallel to its axis, and means for effecting co-operative relative movement between the rolls and the stock, transversely oi the latter, at regular intervals, whereby the cutters ot the respective rolls simultaneously incise limited areas of the match stock in parallcl longitudinal splint lines.

2. The combination with means for feeding sheet match stock, of a vertically movable carriage reciproeative transversely of the stock in timed relation to the feeding means, a plurality oi? juxtaposed cutter rolls mounted on said carriage and having their axes of rotation longitudinally of the path of travel of the stock, each of said rolls including a series of spaeed-apart peripheral cutters parallel to its axis, means for reciprocating said carriage transversely of the stock, and means for vertically moving said 'arriage in respect to the stock at the limits of the respective transverse strokes of the carriage, whereby during each alternate stroke of the carriage the cutters of each roll consecutively incise a limited area of the stock in parallel longitudinal splint lines.

8. 'l. he combination with means for feeding sheet match stock, of a vertically movable carriage reciprocative transversely of the stock in timed relation to the feeding means, a plurality ot juxtaposed cutter rolls mounted on said carriage and having their axes longitudinally oi? the path of travel 01' the stock, each of said rolls including a series of spacedapart peripheral cutters parallel to its axis, means :tor reciprocating said carriage transversely of the stock, means for vertically moving said carriage in respect to the stock at the limits of the respective transverse strokes of the carriage whereby during each alternate stroke of the carriage the cutters of each roll consecutively incise a limited area of the stock in par allel longitudinal splint lines, and means for maintaining the respective cutter rolls in timed relation to the stock during the transverse reciprocation ot the carriage.

4. The combination with means for feeding sheet match stoclgo'l'f a vertically movable carriage reciprocative transversely of the stock in timed relation to the feeding means, a plurality of juxtaposed cutter rolls mounted on said carriage and havin their axes longitudin ally of the path of travel of the stock, each of said rolls including a series of spaced-apart peripheral cutters parallel to its axis, and also including a gear member, means for rccipro eating said carriage transversely of the stock, means for vertically moving said carriage in respect to the stock at the limits of the respective strokes of the carriage, whereby during each alternate stroke of the carriage the cutters of each roll consecutively ineise a limited area of the stock in parallel longitudinal splint lines, a rack meshing with the gear members of the respective cutters and being reciprocative relatively to the carriage, and means for actuating said rack whereby the cutter rolls are maintained in timed relation to the stock during the transverse reciprocation of the carriage.

5. The combination with a carrier for succeeding strips of match splints, and means for intern'iittently feeding sheet match stock toward and into engagement with the carrier, of a plurality of cutter rolls having their axes longitudimilly of the path of travel of the stock, each ot said rolls including a series of SPiL(fG('l-;l])tl't peripheral cutters parallel to its axis, means for eiiecting co-operative relative movement between the said rolls and the stock, transversely of the latter, whereby at regular intervals the cutters of the respective rolls simultaneously incise limited areas of the match stock in parallel longitudinal lines, means for transversely cutting one end oi each alternate subdivision produced by the longitudinal incisions and for spreading or offsetting the alternate subdivisions, and means for severing the stock across the trailing ends of the subdivisions adjacent the carrier after the leading end of the stock is engaged with said carrier.

Signed at Barberton, in the county oi? Summit and State of Ohio, this 14th day of June,

CHARLES F. WRIGHT. 

